For Love of a Snake
by Kohaku Kawa
Summary: Chapter two is up! Something has Hermione upset lately, and Snape is making it his business to find out what. Please Read and Review!
1. Confession

Disclaimer: yeah if owned the Harry Potter I would make Harry go down on Malfoy or something. Until you read the scene where that happens, I don't own them.

So this is my first HP fic, and if you like it you better review, k?

For Love of A Snake

"Detention, Miss Granger."

A classroom of eyes looked up in disbelief; 'Hermione Granger' and 'Detention' were never heard in the same sentence without the words 'doesn't have'.

"Professor?" She asked.

"Did I stutter Miss Granger?"

"N-no, professor."

"Good. Be at my office at six o' clock sharp, Saturday evening."

"But that's not fair!" Harry shouted.

Snape turned to face the boy. "Mr. Potter, as you apparently have failed to notice, my sleeve is almost entirely disintegrated, and," He continued, gingerly filling a ladle with the acidic contents of Hermione's cauldron. "I'm sure you could not realize that if any of this liquid had landed on my skin it would be in the same state as my robe. Of course given your need to test everything I will quite understand if you would like to check its potency yourself." He held the ladle invitingly towards Harry, who appeared very interested in a spot on his desk.

"Mr. Potter, I believe I asked you a question."

"No you didn't." insisted Ron, "you said you would understand, it's completely diff-"

"Silence Weasley." Snape snapped then turned back to Harry. "Well?" He asked tersely.

"No sir." Harry mumbled shaking his head, still looking at the desk.

Snape smirked. "Well as surprising as it seems, it would appear that Mr. Potter has actually learned something."

Half of the class snickered while the other half glared at Snape's back as he returned to his desk.

In the common room that night everyone was buzzing to know how Hermione had ended up with a detention.

"Was it Zabini?" Asked Ron scowling. A week ago Snape had moved everyone to seats of his own choosing, not surprisingly, Harry Ron, and Hermione had been separated.

"No I just wasn't paying attention." Hermione told them. "I couldn't seem to focus."

"Oh we understand." Said Fred conspiratorially.

"You do?" Hermione was skeptical.

"Of course," Said George. "We know how it is for you girls,"

"That time of the month, right?" winked Fred.

Hermione looked from Fred to George in disgust. She didn't even warrant the comment a response, but walked to the other side of the room.

"I can't believe that bloody git gave you detention!" Ron was still dwelling on that fact.

"Is it true that the potion jumped out at Snape?" Asked Ginny.

"Yeah, but that wasn't Hermione's fault. After he noticed her mess up the first part he stood over her shoulder the whole time she was trying to fix it. There's no way even Hermione could concentrate with Snape fuming down her neck!"

"Well of course not." Hermione took over. "Then when he moved to look closer I was so startled I dumped the cup of ground dragons teeth in all at once instead of gradually. There was aloud popping and then the potion sloshed all over the place. Actually if Professor Snape hadn't moved his arm in front of me it might have burned my face."

"God!" Ron yelled. "Can't you be mad at him at all?"

"Well it was an awfully stupid mistake. Besides that it did look as if it had been jinxed, if it was one of you even I would have thought that."

"That would be bloody awesome." Said George.

"We'll have to look into it." This time Fred.

"I've got to learn to watch what I say around you two." Hermione groaned.

"Yeah, you really should." Grinned Fred.

"Are you saying that you deserve the detention?" Asked Harry.

"Well he could let it go since my records so clean, but if it was one of you then yes."

"You could probably talk to McGonigal and get out of it." Said Angelina.

"Maybe, but he's not really out of line or anything."

"All right Hermione." Yelled George. "Power to the students!"

"Right," Shouted Fred. "Equal oppression for all. If the dumb ones can't escape Snape neither will the smart!" Then the two started chanting "Hermione! Hermione!" Soon joined by Harry and Ron.

"Very funny." Said Hermione, trying not to laugh.

The Weasley twins scooped her up before she could offer any protest and paraded her around the common room. They tried to take her out in the halls, but she knocked them soundly on their heads so they had to let her down. Hermione smiled and thanked everyone for not being too disappointed in her, and then went up to bed.

Saturday night around ten o' clock Hermione scraped the last of the frog intestines from the caldrons. She stacked everything in its place and went over to Snape's desk.

"I've finished, may I go now Professor?" She asked.

"Not quite yet." He said note looking up from the papers he was grading.

Hermione fidgeted a bit before asking, "What would you like me to do."

Snape didn't answer.

"Professor, what should-"

"I heard you the first time Miss Granger." Snape said but he didn't stop writing. He let her wait for five minutes before looking up.

"Miss Granger, it would be foolish not to admit that you are the smartest student in this school, indeed it is a shame you were not made a Slytherin."

Hermione was shocked. Though she would never want to be a Slytherin, she understood that from Snape this was a very lavish compliment.

"Further more you do not take amusement in practical jokes at other's expense."

"Professor, I'm not sure what-""

"Do not interrupt," Snape admonished, but not harshly. "Also the review of the alchemist's serum, while difficult, is something that I've seen you finish while the rest of the class was just adding the mercury, you shouldn't have had a problem with it. therefore, it is obvious that you would have not make the acid on purpose nor jinx it to jump out, yet you are too clever for the potion to change without your noticing. So what I want, Miss Granger, is your explanation of what happened."

"I-I've been under a lot of stress lately and I got distracted."

Snape wouldn't let it be that easy. "Is this stress school related?"

"Well in a way."

"Does it have to do with your classes and assignments?"

"…No."

"I thought not. Relationship then."

Hermione nodded.

"It would have to be an extremely emotional conflict to affect you this much." Hermione didn't say anything. "Yet the other teachers haven't mentioned any strange behavior from you. So there must be something unique to potions class."

"Just that it takes the most concentration."

"I suppose, but I have a feeling there is more to this."

"Sir, I don't really think that this is any of your business."

"If you are going to continue to be inept during my classes it is."

Hermione could think of no response for that.

"Can you promise that it won't happen again?"

Hermione looked up at Snape. "No sir, I can't promise that. I can only say that I'll do my best to forget about it during classes."

Snape nodded slowly. "Very well, though if it happens again I won't let you go so easily. Oh, and do talk to someone about this. That seems to be what you're supposed to do with- relationship things." Teenaged romance was not Snape's forte.

"Yes, sir." Hermione said stiffly.

Snape studied her for a second then said, "You may go now."

Hermione waited until she was in the hallway to run all the way back to the common room.

"Are you alright?" Asked Ron, making her blush a little at her own foolishness.

"I'm fine." She said and went to her room.

And she was fine. She managed to focus in all of her classes, though she continued to make little mistakes in potions. Snape kept a close eye on her, even though she was able to fix all of her mistakes quickly, he noticed everyone. Still, everything was okay until about a week and a half later when they were learning a new potion.

"The Illuminating potion is very simple, though not quite as simple as the lumos spell, and thus the lack of recognition in..." He paused to regard Hermione. "Almost all of your faces. Since the ingredients for the Aging potion have mysteriously vanished now is a good time to go over it."

Ron tried not to laugh; he wished his brothers had waited until after his class to tell him of their latest antic.

"All of the ingredients except for the unicorn hair can be found in most temperate forests." Continued the potions master. "Indeed, this spell would be very useful if you were ever in need of light and, God forbid, without your wands." He ended as he arrived at his desk. "You have ten minutes. Begin."

"Professor, when did we cover-" Began Harry.

"If you decide to skip chapters I assign, Mr. Potter, it is your problem, not mine."

Draco laughed openly at this while quickly leafing through his own book for the potions index.

Snape wandered through the aisles. Nodding his approval of Draco's potion, shaking his head at Ron's. He stood a good minute by Hermione, moving on only when he was sure she would make no mistakes."

"Oi, Hermione," Whispered Blaise leaning toward her.

"Page 621 she whispered impatiently."

"No I got that. I was just thinking, Snape sure spends a lot of time watching you." Hermione started to blush. "So what's going on between you two?"

This was followed by a loud explosion and a large cloud of iridescent blue smoke.

"Oh, for heavens sake." Cried Snape wading in.

The smoke cleared after Hermione added the ingredients to counteract the smoke, and sat with her head bowed.

"Well?" Snape said expectantly.

Blaise was motioning subtly to Hermione. "Thank you Mr. Zabini." Snape said coolly. He regarded Hermione then her potion, stirring it a couple of times. He returned to his desk and wrote on a piece of paper and then walked over to Ron, who tried not to whimper. "Miss Granger will be staying after class, if you'll be so kind as to take this note to Professor Mcgonigal, Mr. Weasley." He looked around the room of blank faces. "You have three more minutes." He informed them.

Everyone scrambled to get their potions finished. Snape went to Hermione's desk where she hadn't moved.

"Miss Granger."

She acknowledge it . Snape sighed and returned to his desk.

When class ended Ron and Harry tried to go to her, but Snape made them leave insisting they shouldn't be late.

After everyone had left Snape looked at the young witch.

"Well, what happened?"

"I don't know sir."

"I think you do."

"Really, I don't. I must have added the wrong ingredient or had the heat too high."

"Granger that potion was so simple that Longbottom completed it in eight minutes, and even Weasley's was correct by the end of class. You're letting your personal life interfere with classes again. Now maybe the other teachers wouldn't do anything about it. Maybe they'd let you work it out by yourself and keep making mistakes, but not me."

"Sir, really, I can control this."

"I already gave you a chance, but you couldn't manage it. So now I must do something."

"No professor, I'm fine."

"Don't lie to me. I think I have an idea of what's happening here."

"I doubt that." Hermione murmured.

"You'd be surprised how attentive we teachers can be." Suddenly Snape seemed a bit uncomfortable.

Hermione's eyes went wide. "What do you think it is?" Hermione asked, panic in her voice.

Snape sighed then said haltingly. "Hermione, having a crush on someone or even… loving them, is not something to be ashamed of. Even if they are a Slytherin."

She was stunned, how could he possibly know that she…

"And Blaise is a fine man. You shouldn't worry what your friends will think. Give him a chance to look past your blood and all that nonsense to see you for who you truly are."

"Professor," Hermione said slowly. "Blaise isn't the one I'm in love with."

Snape made a frustrated sound. "Just tell whoever it is how you feel and be done with it. That is an order."

"Sir, please can't I just talk to Professor McGonigal about this?"

"I already told you to do that and you obviously didn't think it was important enough. Tell whoever it is that you're so obsessed over how you feel before tomorrow's class. I don't care if it's Malfoy or Parkinson, just do it."

"I can't." Hermione said, tears running down her face. "Sir, I really can't,"

Snape almost felt sorry for doing this to her, almost let her go but he simply did not see any other way to deal with her teenage love crisis.

"If you do not tell him then I will. Now who is it? Do not make me get the veritiserum."

Hermione was sobbing now. "If I tell you can I leave?"

"Yes! Fine. Just please, let's get this over with."

"It's you." she said. "I love you." Then she turned and ran from the room.

Snape stood quite frozen for several minutes. Then he shut the door and locked it. He had some serious thinking to do.

Well, there you are. I hope it worth your time. If not tell me why, I take criticism too.

Now everyone who read this has to reply. Especially coz it's up to you whether this continues or not. I have no plans for it so if you want more you'll have to feed me some ideas.

Everyone who reviews my story I will love you forever. If you flame it I will laugh.


	2. Ruminations

_For Love of a Snake _

Chapter Two: **Ruminations**

**Why can't I write my other stories this long --;**

**Anyway let's see, same disclaimer. (don't own it)**

**And I probably should have put a warning in the first chapter about the age difference.**

**Oops anyway same for this one.**

**I dedicate this chapter my sister Angel Lucifel (penname duh!) because she typed it up for me, but mostly because I know it will drive her crazy to have a HP fic dedicated to her. evil grin**

**Without further ado I give you **

**Ruminations **

Snape leaned back against the door. Hermione Granger was top student and fairly popular. How could she love _him_? Snape, the greasy bat of the dungeon (he knew what they called him) how could this be possible?

He moaned and banged his head once against the door. Why hadn't he listened to her? He could have pretended nothing was wrong. Looking back it was almost painfully obvious. What could he ever do to make it right?

Obviously, as much as it would bruise his ego, he needed to apologize to her, but would that be sufficient? And how did he feel about _her_? She was certainly intelligent and mature beyond her years and a rather attractive young woman…but no, it was better not to even think about her like that. She was the student and he was the teacher, it was beyond all boundaries to even consider…

Snape dragged himself to his chair and buried his face in his arms. What had he done to deserve this? He'd certainly never given her any reason to…love him. No he'd always been harsh, intimidating, maybe even cruel. He'd rarely complimented her or even acknowledged her work; instead he called her a smart-aleck and accused her of cheating. He had been cruel, he realized now that he had let his first impression of her, an eleven year old know-it-all Gryffindor, dictate the way he had treated her the last six years. As a result he had looked down on her thinking she was just like her friends.

It wasn't until recently that he had come to admire her; her wisdom in and out of the classroom, her courage and her loyalty to her friends and teachers. Only recently had he realized that if she'd been Slytherin he would have praised her and called her the pride of his house. But even when he'd realized this he hadn't changed his treatment towards her. He hadn't even wanted to admit that he admired someone from another house. How had she found _him _desirable?

He was harsh, greasy, and old while she was kind, beautiful and—

And had he just called her beautiful. Not out loud but…he hadstill thought it. Well, why shouldn't he think it? There was nothing wrong with knowing someone was beautiful. But it was more than just an acknowledgement. When he thought of her he thought she was more beautiful than anything he'd ever seen. He thought she was more intelligent than most wizards twice his own age. He thought she was the most wonderful woman— but she was a girl. A girl that was more than twenty years his junior!

He drew his hand over his face roughly. Why was he thinking these thoughts? Why had he, in a matter of hours, gone from grudgingly acknowledging her intelligence to secretly admiring her beauty?

Suddenly the door opened and student started filing in. A few gave him strange look but most sat at their seat trying not to draw attention. Snape looked at the clock; the fourth year Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw class. The time had passed so quickly!

He mechanically got out some ingredients and announced a pop quiz on a potion they had learned a few weeks back. Then he called a prefect to supervise against cheating and retreated to his office. He wasn't ready to face a classroom of students, but as soon as he was alone again the same thoughts kept playing through his head. He splashed his face with cold water a few times but it didn't help much.

After a while the prefect came in to say class was finished with their tests. Snape went back into the classroom, quickly passed and failed the students, and then dismissed them.

As they were leaving Harry and Ron came in.

"Professor," Ron said, obviously upset. "What did you do to Hermione?"

"What?" Snape asked.

"We found her in the common room after transfiguration, crying." **Harry said.**

"She went up to her room when we wouldn't leave her alone," Ron interrupted, "but Ginny says she still hasn't stopped sobbing."

Snape could only stare at him.

"Well?" the boys demanded.

"I…I didn't think I'd upset her so much." He muttered vaguely, and then headed to the door. "I'll go…apologize."

Rona and Harry looked at each other blanklyas he left.

"What?" Ron asked, his face skewed in confusion.

"I think he said he's going to apologize…" Harry said, but neither of them could believe it.

Snape entered the Gryffindor common room and went straight up to the girl's dorm, much to the surprise of the students. (The stairs recognized him as a teacher and let him up). He knocked on the sixth years' door until on of the girls opened it, giving a small gasp when she saw who it was.

"I've come to talk to Miss Granger." He said coolly. "Everyone else out. Now."

The girls that were in the room scampered out except Ginny who was gently rubbing Hermione's back.

"You too miss Weasley." He said.

Ginny looked uncertain but slowly got up and left. Snape was left alone with Hermione.

Her face was buried in her pillow and her body shook slightly as she tried to control her sobs.

"What do-" She hiccupped. "What do you want?"

"Hermione," he said softly, oh how wonderful to say her name. "I am so sorry."

She lifted her head to look at him; her cheeks were streaked with tears. "What?"

"I've treated you horribly." He said. "I pried into your personal life and demanded and threatened you to tell me things I had no business asking about." She sat up."You're a wonderfully bright, mature young woman. I should have trusted you to handle it on your own."

"Thank you." Hermione managed to choke out. "I-I'll work hard-harder…" She started hiccupping again.

Without thinking about what he was doing,Snape sat next to her and wiped away her tears.

"Shh, you don't have to say anything…" He shushed her gently.

Hermione forced asmile and nodded, but still looked upset.

"I don't know if it helps at all," Snape sighed, "But I'm deeply flattered, amazed actually, that you would be attracted to me."

Hermione half laughed, half hiccupped. "You're amazing."

"What?"

"I said you're amazing. You're clever and dedicated to your work, and to your house, and to Dumbledore. You walk willingly in Voldemort's clutches for all of us. You are one of the bravest people I know! That's why I—"

Hermione stopped herself and looked down at her lap, but Snape took her chin and lifted it so she faced him. His eyes were misted over.

"How?" He asked. "You barely know me…how could you know so much about me? How can you read me so easily?"

"You're the one I admire most." She answered.

Snape smiled in disbelief. "You're the one who's amazing Hermione." He told her, and leaning in close, he kissed her.

As their lips met he felt Hermione's startled intake of breath. Then she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his desperately. Snape let them stay like that for a few precious moments before breaking away.

"Hermione, I can't. I'm a teacher I—"

"I know, I know." Hermione said, hugging him. "I would never ask you to do anything about this." She whispered against his chest.

Snape kissed the top of her head. "Maybe," He said. "Maybe when you're finished with school, once this war is over…"

Hermione smiled and nodded. "Yes, once the war is over."

Snape smiled. "Until then."

He then started to leave, but stopped when he reached the door and turned back.

"Are you all right now?" He asked.

Hermione laughed. "I'm wonderful."

Snape smiled warmly before leaving,and Hermione kept staring at the door long after it had closed behind him.

Three months later Severus Snape did the most difficult and horrible act of his life when he killed Dumbledore to save Draco and keep confidence with the dark lord. There was no time to leave Hermione anything to know the truth.

**A/N Thank you so much Imotou! And Thanks to everyone who read this, sorry it took so long to update…**

**Reviews are my life source, I live off reviews… Please help me live. **


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